Status: Sentenced to two life terms running concurrently
with a recommendation he serve a minimum of 35 years on February
22, 2006

Gary Nelson,
born in 1969, is a British man and convicted murderer.

On February
17, 2006 Nelson, of Woolwich, south-east London, was convicted
of murdering William Danso, a 31-year-old doorman and security
guard, and Patrick Dunne, a 44-year-old police officer, in
Clapham in October 1993.

Danso, a
doorman at the Brixton Academy, had refused Nelson entry to the
nightclub and, on the day he died, he was working as a part-time
security guard at a shop when he broke up a fight involving
Nelson.

Woolwich Crown
Court heard Nelson targeted Danso for "disrespecting" him. He
and two unidentified accomplices laughed as they fired a hail of
bullets at Danso in his hallway in Cato Road, Clapham, on 20
October 1993.

Pc Dunne had
been investigating a minor domestic dispute, heard gunshots from
Danso’s house and went to investigate. As the unarmed policeman
stepped into the street he was hit by a single shot to the
chest, killing him instantly.

Nelson was
originally charged with the murders five weeks after they took
place, but the case was dropped because of insufficient
evidence.

In 1994
Nelson, nicknamed Tyson because of his resemblance to boxer Mike
Tyson, was jailed for eight years for an unrelated shooting.

He had lost
his temper when a van driver tried to overtake him on a road in
south London. The road rage incident degenerated and Nelson got
out of his car and fired five times at the van, hitting the
bonnet and radiator.

Ten days after
starting his sentence at Belmarsh high security jail, in
south-east London, he attacked prison officers and had six
months added to his term. He was released in 1999.

After a
month-long surveillance operation, conducted in February 2003,
Nelson was followed to the United States, where he bought a
laser device for a 9mm Browning semi-automatic. Police
subsequently swooped on his flat in London, seizing the weapon
and the device, described as being designed to make the gun a
more efficient killing machine.

In January
2004 he was jailed for life for possessing weapons and
ammunition for a second weapon. While in prison, he was again
charged with the Clapham murders. Among the evidence against him
was the discovery of the murder weapon in Wandsworth cemetery,
south London, in June 1994, wrapped in a plastic bag with
Nelson's mother's fingerprint on it.

During the
trial he was brought to court every day from nearby Belmarsh
prison.

Upon being
found guilty, Nelson was jailed for life. He will serve a
minimum of 35 years.

Patrick Dunne, born in 1949, was a British constable with the
Metropolitan Police Service. Prior to his police career, Dunne had
taught maths for fifteen years at the Deane School in Bolton.
Danso was a doorman at the Brixton Academy music venue.

Murders

Danso, a doorman at the Brixton Academy, had refused Nelson entry
to the nightclub and, on the day he died, he was working as a part-time
security guard at a shop when he broke up a fight involving
Nelson.

Woolwich Crown Court heard Nelson targeted
Danso for "disrespecting" him. He and two unidentified accomplices
laughed as they fired a hail of bullets at Danso in his hallway in
Cato Road, Clapham, on
20 October 1993.

PC Dunne had been investigating a minor
domestic dispute, heard gunshots from Danso’s house and went to
investigate. As the unarmed police officer stepped into the street
he was hit by a single shot to the chest, killing him instantly.

Investigation, prosecution, and conviction

Nelson was originally charged with the murders five weeks after
they took place, but the case was dropped because of insufficient
evidence.

In 1994 Nelson, nicknamed Tyson because of his
resemblance to boxer Mike Tyson, was jailed for eight years for an
unrelated shooting.

He had lost his temper when a van driver tried
to overtake him on a road in south London. The road rage incident
degenerated and Nelson got out of his car and fired five times at
the van, hitting the bonnet and radiator.

Ten days after starting his sentence at
Belmarsh high security jail, in south-east London, he attacked
prison officers and had six months added to his term. He was
released in 1999.

After a month-long surveillance operation,
conducted in February 2003, Nelson was followed to the United
States, where he bought a laser device for a 9mm Browning semi-automatic.
Police subsequently swooped on his flat in London, seizing the
weapon and the device, described as being designed to make the gun
a more efficient killing machine.

In January 2004 he was jailed for life for
possessing weapons and ammunition for a second weapon.

While in prison, he was again charged with the
Clapham murders. Among the evidence against him was the discovery
of the murder weapon in Wandsworth cemetery, south London, in June
1994, wrapped in a plastic bag with Nelson's mother's fingerprint
on it. On February 17,
2006 Nelson was convicted of the 1993 murders. The trial
judge recommended that Nelson should spend at least 35 years in
prison before parole can even be considered, a ruling which would
keep him behind bars until at least 2038 and the age of 69.

Wikipedia.org

Man convicted of October 1993 murder of PC in Clapham

Met vows to catch gang members

The Job

February 24, 2006

The Met has vowed to continue its search for the remaining gang
members who killed PC Patrick Dunne in Clapham more than a decade
ago.

It follows the conviction last week of one of
the three men involved in the shooting of PC Dunne and William
Danso in October 1993.

Guilty

Gary Lloyd Nelson, 36, was found guilty of two
counts of murder and was given two life terms running concurrently
with a recommendation he serve a minimum of 35 years.

Det Chief Insp Steve Richardson, from the SCD1
Homicide South team, said: “It has taken a great deal of work both
by my team and the original inquiry team to arrive at this point.

“Our work is not yet complete
and we will continue to investigate this case to bring the
remaining perpetrators to justice. They must expect that one day
there will be a knock on the door and they too will face justice.”

The case was reopened in January 2001 following
pressure from the victims’ families, and previous evidence re-examined.
A new appeal on BBC Crimewatch was made in November 2001. Forensic
evidence linked Nelson to guns used in the murders.

Then a prisoner, who cannot be named for safety
reasons and who was in Wormwood Scrubs with Nelson in 1994, told
officers he had heard a confession. Nelson was quoted as saying:
“I shot the copper... The one on the bike.” He was arrested for
the second time in relation to the murder in October 2004.

Det Ch Insp Richardson said: “The murders of
William Danso and Patrick Dunne were cold-blooded executions
carried out by extremely dangerous men for virtually no reason.

“Five children have had to grow up without
their father because arrogant men felt he had not shown them
enough respect.

“Clapham lost a dedicated community officer and
PC Dunne’s family lost a son and brother because courageously he
went to investigate on hearing gunfire. I am pleased that one of
those murderers has been brought to justice.”

On Wednesday October 20, 1993, Mr Danso, 31,
was watching a football match with a friend in Cato Road, Clapham.
Just after 9pm he answered the front door and was shot six times.
Three black men with a baseball bat and two handguns fired a total
of 12 shots.

PC Dunne, 45, a community officer known locally
as ‘cycling cop’, was attending a minor domestic disturbance at
the nearby home of Mario Ceria when he heard the gunfire.

Wearing a high-visibility jacket,
PC Dunne reported the gunshots over his radio and went outside to
investigate with Mr Ceria and friend Henry Woods. When a gun was
pointed at the group, PC Dunne tried to get Mr Ceria and Mr Woods
inside before he was shot.

The three men reportedly ran away from the
scene firing the shots into the air as if in triumph.

A post-mortem found PC Dunne died of a gunshot
wound to the chest, which damaged his lungs and aorta.

Other officers found Mr Danso still alive in
his doorway, he could only say he had trouble breathing before
treatment from ambulance officers. He died at 10.05 pm of a
gunshot wound to the abdomen which severed arteries supplying the
intestine.

Three men – including Nelson – were charged
with the murders in November 1993, but the cases were ended due to
insufficient evidence.

Verdict

Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur, head of
the Specialist Crime Directorate, said: “Londoners can be
reassured by this verdict. It demonstrates the Met will always
pursue those who commit murder regardless of the time that has
past.”

Commissoner Sir Ian Blair said: “This has been
a long time in coming, but I hope the verdict brings some sort of
closure and peace of mind to the families of Patrick Dunne and
William Danso.

“The conviction of Gary Nelson reflects the
determination and dedication of the many officers who worked hard
on this enquiry under Det Chief Supt Tony Crofts before his
retirement and Det Ch Insp Steve Richardson. I congratulate them
for a job well done and I hope the result serves as a reminder
that the passing of years does not diminish the Met’s
determination to bring killers to justice.”

Pc killer jailed for
1993 murders

BBC News

Friday,
17 February 2006

A gunman who murdered a bouncer and a policeman
in south London more than 12 years ago has been jailed for life.

Gary Nelson, 36, of Woolwich, south-east London,
was convicted of murdering William Danso and Pc Patrick Dunne in
Clapham in October 1993.

Unarmed Pc Dunne was shot in the chest as he
went to investigate the sound of gunshots at Mr Danso's home.

Nelson, who was already in prison for
possessing weapons, was told he must serve at least 35 years in
jail.

Mr Danso, a doorman at the Brixton Academy, had
refused Nelson entry to the nightclub and, on the day he died, he
was working as a part-time security guard at a shop when he broke
up a fight involving Nelson.